Car construction



Nov. 27, 1928.

O. C; DURYEA CAR CONSTRUCTION giwveufoz Patented vNov. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

OTHO C. DURYEA, F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO O. C. DURYEA COR- PORATION, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CAR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed -April 30, 1925. Serial No. 27,040.

This invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly to a railway car of the type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 23,111, filed April 14, s 1925, which is so constructed that the body has longitudinal movement relative to the ear trucks or running gear.

Damage frequently results to railway cars and lading in the course of ordinary operation, due' to the large amount of ener which must be absorbed or dissipated when buling a car, whena stationary car is placed in motion, or when .sudden changes in speed are imparted to the same. Efforts have been made to overcome the damage to the car structure by increasing lthe ystiffness and rigidity of the stru'ctural elements such, for example, as the center sill, bolsters, cross bearers, etc. As the stiffness of thestructural elements is increased, the capacity of said elements to elastically absorb blows is decreased, and consequently the inertia of the car, and its lading, play a proportionally greater part in tending to disrupt the structure under the influence of.such blows which act on the car more as a pure impact and less as a yieldingly transmitted force.

Railway draft gears are designed to re.- duce, as far as possible, the objectionable effects resulting from the aforesaid ener The standard draft gear, however, b

is limited to a motion of approximately three inches and, as is well understood in the art, it is practically impossible to'rentirely dissipate or absorb the large amounts of energy involved with mechanism which is so limited in its travel. This difficulty cannot be overcome by increasing, the travel of the draft f gears since such an arrangement would increase the slack ybetween cars and this is objectionable for reasons well known in the art.

In order to overcome the above objections it has heretofore been proposed to construct railway cars in such a manner that the car body has limited longitudinal movement relative to the running gear, said longitudinal movement being controlled by resilient means. For example, it has beeen proposed to construct a railway car comprising a heavy underframe on which is slidably mounted a car body, said underframe and car body being provided with butter blocks between the underframe and car body at the Y opposite ends thereof and at the center thereof. Between each air of buiii'er blocks were introduced a' plura it of groups of spring plates to absorb shoc s imparted to the car ody and to normally maintain said body centered on said underframe. This arrangement requires the length of the car body to be materially shortened, thereby decreasing its carrying capacit maintained at standard length, the over-all length of the car structure must be increased, which is highly objectionable for reasons well known in the art. Moreover, the structures of the above type heretofore employed, have diiiered so greatly from standard car construction, have been so expensive to manufacture, or have required the addition of so may structural elements, thereby greatly increasing the weight of the car, as

to render the same unsatisfactory for generall use.

An obj ect of the present invention is to provide a railway car of the longitudinally movable body type conforming closely to the construction at present employed in' standard railway rolling stock, which embodies novel means for overcoming the above objections.

Another object of the invention is to rovide novel means for mounting the mem ers which are employed for yieldingly resisting relative longitudinal movement `of the body portion, whereby any likelihood of engagement between the car truck side frames, or wheels and said members is avoided.

Further objects are to provide novel means or positively limiting the relative longitudinal movement of the car body; to r0- vide novel means constituting draft `sllls; to associate the body holsters and draft'sills in anovel manner; to employ friction in combination with resilient means, for yieldingly resisting relative movement lof the car body; and to provide a rugged structure of reduced weight which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. These and otfzher objects will appear more fully hereina ter.

One form which the`inventive idea may assume is shown in the accompanying drawings, which drawings, however, are for the purpose of .illustration only and are not or if the car body is los .to be taken as defining the limits of the iny in which the center member may be associated with a' body bolster.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, the'running gear forming a part of the subject matter of the. present invention preferably comprises a center member, constituting a draft member 10 that includes a center sill and draft sills. In the embodiment shown the center sill is formed of two horizontally disposed U-shaped channel members 11, positioned with the flanges of the same extending downwardly. Secured to the opposite ends of the channel members 11, as by means of rivetsl 12, are the draft sills- 13 which are preferably formed as castings. As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, these castings are provided with a transverse opening 13a, integrally formed lugs 13b projecting from the upper and lower sides of the same, shoulders 13c which preferably have abutting engagement with the ends of Jthe channel members 11, -inner shoulders 13d, and an inner transverse -portion 13e, the two latter elements being for purposes to bevdescribed hereinafter. Each of the draft sills 13 is provided on its lower surface with an integral portion stituting a center plate 13f for engagement with the usual truck holsters, not shown. A king-pin 14 may be employed, if desired. Draft gear rigging and draft gears 15 of any suitable type, are secured in the usual manner to the draft sills and have operative engagement with couplers 16, whereby the latter may move in either direction, relative to the center member, from a normal position and this movement is yieldingly resisted by said draft gears.

The body portion of the car structure, which is mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the runninegear, is represented as having side sills 17, end sills 18, and a plurality of transverse members including holsters 19 and cross bearers 20. Preferably, the holsters extend through the -openings 13a in the draft sills 13 and have sliding engagement with the same.v the outer ends of said vholsters being rigidly secured to the side sills 17, as by means of rivets 21.

VThe cross bearers 20 may be secured in any desired manner to the side sills 17 and the channel members 11. For example, said cross bearers may be rigidly secured to the center member .10, 13 and have sliding engagement with the side sills 17, as described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 23,111, filed April 14, 1925, or said cross bearers may be rigidly secured to the side sills 17 and have sliding engagement with the center member 10, 13, as is illustrated and described in my co-pending application Serial No.l 27,041, tiled April 30, 1925. Friction means of the type disclosed in my co-.pending application Serial No. 26,267, filed April 27, 1925, may be employed for positively producing friction between the bolsters 19 and the draft sills 13, but preferably the draft sills are provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending wedge-shaped members 13g on. the inner surfaces of the same, below 'the bolsters 19, which wedge-shaped members extend into corresponding grooves 19a formed in the lower surface of the holsters 19. Longitudinally extending guides, formed by one or more tongues 13h formed on the inner surface of the draft sills above the holsters, which tongues extend in grooves 19h formed in the upper surface of the bolster 19, may be provided -if desired. lt will be ,understood that theA amount of friction between the bolsters and the draft sills, which friction aids in yieldingly resisting the longitudinal movement of the car body relative to the running gear, may be varied by changing the angles of the sides of the wedge-shaped members 13g and the corre- .sponding grooves 19a.

Resilient means are employed, preferably adjacent each of the holsters, for yieldingly resisting relative movement of the carbody. ln the form shown, one or more longitudinally disposed rods 22 extend loosely through an opening in the inner wall of each of the iolsters 19, the movement of said rods being limited, in one direction, by means of a nut 23 which normally is in engagement with a boss 13, formed on the inner surface of the side wallof the bolster 19. Loosely mounted on the rods 22 are follower plates 211 which, in the present instance, are substantially rectangular in shape, and which are normally maintained in engagement with lugs 13b and the bolsters 19 by a coil spring 25 surrounding the rod 22. The opposite end of the spring 25 engages a second follower plate 26 which normally abuts against the trans. verse portion 13 of the draft sil] 13 and also against a nut 27 which is preferably threaded onto the inner end of the rod 22 and which normally extends freely through an opening 13j in transverse portion 13e of the draft sills 13. Positioned bet-Ween the upper and lower sides of the draft sills 13. and in abutting engagement with the shoulders 13d previously described, is a box-shaped casting 29, which constitutes a stop for positively limiting relative movement of the car body in one direction, movement in the opposite direct-ion being positively limited by the transverse portion 13k of the draft sills 13.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the body portion of the car is illustrated as including a. flooring 28 but-'it is to be distinctly understood that the present invention is not limited to box cars, for example, or to cars which are provided with flooring. Longitudinal stringers 30, which may be constituted by wooden members if desired, can be interposed between the lower surface of flooring 28 and the upper surface of member 10 and if employed, such stringers are preferably secured to the fiooring and have sliding engagement with member 10. The friction between the stringers 30 and member 10 coacts with the friction generated by the wedge-shaped members 135 to yieldingly resist relative movement of the car body.

Operatioa-lf vforce is exerted on one of the coupler shanlts 16, for example a force tending to move the running gear to the right as viewed in Figure 2, this force is transmitted to the draft sills 13 and consequently to the follower plates 24, which latter are forced to the right. This movement of the follower plates 24 compresses the resilient members 25, the opposite ends of the latter being held by the follower plates 26 in engagement with the nuts 27. Since the transverse portion 13e of the draft sill must move to the right with said sills, and since the nuts|27 loosely extend through the portion 13e, the force of the spring exerted on follower plate 26 acts through rod 22 and nut 23 on the bolster 19. The relative movement of the car body relative to the running gear is thus yieldingly resisted. Simultaneously the relative movement of the car body is resisted by the friction between the Wedgeshaped members 13g of the draft sills 13 and the bottom of the holsters 19.

1f a force is exerted on the draft sills tending to move said sills to the left, as

viewed in Fig. 2, the transverse portion 13 of the draft sill acts on follower plate 26 to compress the spring 25. The opposite end of the spring bears against the follower plate 24. which in turn engages the side of the bolster 19, the lugs 13b movingr to the left with the draft sill, and the full force of the springr or springs is effective to yieldingly resist movement of the body relative to the bolsters. The resilient members adjacent the opposite ends of the center sill are adapted to act in both directions; i. e., relative movement of the bodv to the left is resisted by each of said springs. as well as movement in the opposite direction.'

'1t will be perceived that there is provided means for yieldingly resisting the forces thrown on the car structure, which forces are rigidly resisted by cars of the type now in use with consequent damage to the car structure and the lading. The resilient means are so mounted that there is no danger of engagement between the car truck side frames, or wheels, and said resilient means when the car is moving over a sharply curved track, since said resilient members are mounted closely adjacent the center sill. The extent of movement of the car body may be relatively great,.thereby greatly decreasing the amount of energy to be absorbed per unit of length of relative movement. The structural elements for example, the draft sills and center sill, may accordingly be 0f reduced weight, since the peak pressures on the same are greatly reduced, with a consequent saving in the cost of construction. Various changes may be made in the size and weight of the springs employed, in the extent of relative movement of the car body, etc., and reference will therefore be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:,

1. A railway car comprising running gear including a center sill and draft sills secured thereto, a car body including transverse members mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, and resilient means operatively engaging said draft sills and a plurality of said transverse members for yieldingly resisting relative movement of said body in either direction.

2. A railway car comprising running gear including draft sills having friction elements, a car body including body holsters having sliding engagement with said running gear and said friction elements, and resilient means operatively secured to the draft sills and said holsters for resisting relative movement between said body and running gear.

3. A railway car comprising runnin gear including a draft sill having wedge-s ia-ped friction elements, a oar body including a bolster mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, said bolster having grooves into which said friction elements extend, and resilient means having operative engagement with said bolster and draft sill for resisting relative movement of said body. f

4. A railway car comprising running gear including a center member, a car body having transverse members mounted for relative longitudinal movement on said running gear, means including resilient members secured to a plurality of said transverse members and having operative engagement with said center member for yieldingiy resisting relative movement of said car body, and friction lltl means having operative engagement with -said center member and transverse members,

said friction means being adapted to yieldingly resist relative movement of the center member and body and to prevent lateral movement of the center member relative to the transverse members.

5. A railway car comprising running gear including draft sills havin openings therethrough, a car body having olsters mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, said holsters extending through said draft sills, and means for yieldingly resisting relative movement of said car body.

6. A railway car comprising running ear including a center member having We geshaped friction elements, a car body including holsters mounted for relative longitudinal movement on said running gear, said holsters having grooves into which said wedge-sha ed elements extend, and resilient mem ers operatively secured to said center member and said holsters.

7. A device of the class described comprising rumiing gear including a center sill and castings secured to the opposite ends of said sill, a car body including holsters mounted for movement relative to said running gear, said holsters extending through` said castings and having frictional engagement therewith, and resilient means interposed between the running gear and car body for yieldingly resisting relative movement of the body in either direction.

8. A device of the class described comprising running gear including a center sill and castings secured to the opposite ends of said sill, a car body including holsters mounted for movement relative to said running gear, said holsters extending through said castings and having frictional engagement therewith, and means including a plurality of coil springs having operative engagement with said running ear and body, each of said springs being a apted to resist relative movement of said car body.

9. AL railway car comprising running gear including a center sill and draft sills secured thereto, a car body including a plurality of transverse members mounted for movement relative to said running gear, two of said members extending through openings in said draft sills and having frictional engagement with the latter, and means including a plurality of resilient members having operative engagement with said body and running gear, each of said resilient members being adapted to resist relative movement of the body in either direction. p

10. A railway car comprising running ear including a draft member, a car body including transverse members mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, friction means carried by the draftmember and having operative engagement with one of said transverse members,

said friction means constituting guides for the draft member in its relative longitudinal movement, and means including a plurality of resilient members adapted to resist relative movement between the running gear and car body.

11. A railway -car comprising running gear including a draft member, a car body including body holsters, said holsters being mounted for longitudinal movement of great extent relative to said running gear, and means including resilient members for resisting relative movement between the holsters and running gear in both directions, said draft member being adapted to have engagement with said bolster to prevent the resilient members from going solid.

12. A railway car comprising running gear including a draft memberhaving openings therethrough, a car body including body holsters, said holsters extending through said openings and being mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said member, and means for yieldingly resisting relative movement between said holsters and running gear.

13. A railway car comprising running gear including a center sill and draft sills secured thereto, couplers, yielding means for securing the couplers to the draft sills, said draft f sills having' openings therethrough, a car body having holsters mounted for longitudinal movement relative to said running gear, said holsters extending through said draft sills, and means for yieldingly resist` ing relative movement of said car body.

14. In a railway car, a body structure including holsters, a center member extending the length of said structure. said center member and body structure being adapted for relative longitudinal movement, couplers for the opposite ends of said center member and draft means for operatively connecting said center member and couplers, whereby movement of the couplers in either direction from normal, relative to the center member, is yieldingly resisted, yielding means operatively connected to said center member and holsters for resisting relative movement of the center member and said structure, and friction means having engagement with said holsters and center member for yieldingly resisting relative movement of said center member and body structure.

15. In a railway ear, a body structure including holsters, a center member extending substantially the length of said structure, said center member and holsters being adapted for relative movement, couplers operatively connected to the center member, means including draft gears for operatively connecting said center member and couplers, whereby movement of the couplers in either direction from la normal position, relative to the center member, is yieldingly resisted,

isa

yielding means operatively connected to said holsters and center member for resisting relative movement of said center member and holsters, and friction means adapted to coact with said yielding means for resisting relative movement of the center member with respect to said bolsters.

16, In a railway car, a body structure including holsters, a center member extending substantiallythe length of the structure, said center member and bolsters being adapted for relative longitudinal movement, couplers for the opposite ends of said center member, means including draft gears for operatively connecting said couplers to said center members whereby said couplers are adapted for movement in either direction relative to the center member from normal position, the relative movement of .the couplers being materially less than the relative movement of the center member with respect to the holsters, yielding means operatively con` nected to the center member and bolsters for resisting relative movement of the same, and friction means adapted to coact with said yielding means.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

o'rHo o. DURYEA. 

